Random-Walk
based Analysis of Virtual Backbone in Manets

İ. Hökelek, M.Ü. Uyar, and M.A. Fecko (USA)

Keywords

MANET, mobility, node degree, virtual backbone, analytic
model

Abstract

Service discovery architectures and cluster-assisted rout
ing protocols in mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs) heav
ily rely on formation and maintenance of a virtual back
bone (VB). We present a novel analytic model for VB sta
bility in MANETs. The model employs the dynamics of
node movements, where link creation/failure is modeled
via a random walk with probabilistic state-transition ma
trix. The backbone formation algorithm gives preference to
the nodes with the smaller number of link changes and the
higher degree. Therefore, the link arrivals and departures
approximate the probability (and thus the expected time)
for a mobile node to leave, join, or remain in the backbone,
i.e., the stability of a dynamic structure of VB nodes.